Vacancy: Qualified Midwife

Diaspora Expert

I. General Information

Position: Qualified Midwife

Position type: Diaspora Expert

Date of Issue:18 December 2023

Duty Station: Garowe General Hospital

Duration of Assignment:12 months

Deadline for Applications:08 January 2024

II. Background Information

About the MIDA FINNSOM III, Health and Education Project

The past decades have seen continued migration from various African countries, causing a “brain drain” that has debilitated various public sector systems across the continent. Through the IOM Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) programme, Somali diaspora professionals have supported institutional capacity building, service delivery, and policy development of health and education institutions across Somalia since 2015.

The MIDA FINNSOM PHASE III – Health & Education project – contributes to strengthening the Health and Education sectors in Somalia towards achieving specific priorities in the Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) and the Essential Package for Health Services (EPHS), as prioritized and outlined by the government. The project aims to do so by engaging and enhancing the role of qualified Somali diaspora experts willing to temporarily return to their country of origin. In particular, through assignments within key ministries and public institutions (including hospitals and universities), Somali diaspora experts contribute addressing gaps and enhancing strengths in the planning and delivery of health and education services, coherently with the needs identified through the dedicated baseline assessment conducted during the inception phase of the project. Furthermore, a component of the project is devoted toward contributing to the creation of stable and sustainable access to employment opportunities in the health and education sectors for local experts and interns, who will work in close coordination with the Somali diaspora experts – therefore reaping long-terms benefits of knowledge transfer, competencies sharing and skills development.

III. Duties & Responsibilities

The Federal Government of Somalia’s Ministry of Health and Human services (MoHHS), through the technical assistance provided by the IOM MIDA FINNSOM III Health and education project, seeks to build the skills of its health workforce, including midwives.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Director of the Hospital, and with the MoHHS Coordinator and the MoHHS M&E Specialist overseeing the running of the tasks, the qualified midwife will carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Perform tests to obtain information about patients’ medical conditions.
2. Study patients’ history and health assessment.
3. Monitor the patient postpartum and be available for questions or concerns.
4. Tend to the health and well-being of patients.
5. Assess the knowledge and skill level of the local midwife at the hospital and provide on-the-job training, mentoring, lectures, and supportive clinical supervision as needed to equip the staff with enhanced knowledge and skills to provide quality maternal and new-born health services including
   1. Comprehensive and basic emergency care.
   2. Prenatal care and counselling.
   3. Family planning services.
   4. General health and lifestyle choices.
6. Provide on-the-job training, mentoring, and supportive supervision to local nurses.
7. Ensure that all medical and nursing staff implements standard clinical protocols.
8. Carry out daily ward with medical doctors and health professionals.
9. Carry out diagnostic tasks and complete medical check-ups.
10. Develop clinical protocols, guidelines, and standards.
11. Perform any other tasks required by the line manager.
12. Gain trust and the confidence of each patient.
13. Observe and record the condition of patients.
14. Respond quickly to emergency calls.
15. Provide on-the-job training and mentoring to the health staff particularly nursing and midwives in order to perform their risks and neonatal care.
16. On-call for shifts and emergencies.
17. Make ethical decisions related to consent and confidentiality.
18. Review patient history, diagnostic and lab data and report any abnormalities.
19. Participate in team meetings and other meetings and training as management requests.

IV. Requirements

Besides the specific outputs mentioned in section III, the MIDA FINNSOM III Heath and Education project is requiring the following deliverables to be submitted throughout the assignment. These are the standard requirements for all assignments under this project:

1. Transfer of skills: The main responsibility of the qualified Somali expatriate—which he/she will be measured against—will be to ensure continuous and systematic transfer of knowledge and skills as related to the assignment. It will have to be agreed with the beneficiary institution that staff will benefit from this knowledge.
2. Work plan: A work plan must be developed with the Supervisor during the first week of the assignment to provide clear and time-bound activities to successfully implement the outputs of the assignment. This work plan will be shared with the supervisor, MoHHS coordinator, MoHHS M&E Specialist and IOM project team. This work plan can be revised during the assignment to reflect on new developments or changes.
3. Quarterly and Final Reports: Quarterly progress reports will be submitted by the expert to the supervisor, MoHHS Coordinator, MoHHS M&E Specialist and IOM project team. At the end of the assignment, the participant must also provide a final report covering the duration of his/her assignment.
4. Exit interview: An exit interview will be conducted to ensure that a proper exit plan has been put in place to sustain the achievements, upon completion of the assignment.

V. Qualifications

Level of Education:

• Minimum: BSc in midwifery; Desired: MSc in midwifery

Years of work experience in what area(s):

• Minimum 5 years of working experience

Languages needed:

• Fluent in English.
• Fluent in Somali.
• Arabic language will be an advantage.

General Skills / Other Requirements:

• Experience in clinical teaching.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to operate as part of a team and independently.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and web-based management systems.
• Ability to identify innovative approaches to problems in a challenging environment.

VI: Subsistence Allowance

The monthly stipend amount will be determined by the MIDA FINNSOM III, Health and Education project, based on degree and years of relevant experience.

VII: Security and insurance modalities

Health insurance—including evacuation due to a medical emergency—will be covered by the project. However, experts will be requested to provide a recent medical certificate stating that they are physically fit and able to work in a hardship area in Africa.

Please note that IOM, according to the contract, will not be responsible for the security of qualified Somali expatriates. The host beneficiary institution will be responsible for the security of the individual.

Before leaving the country of residence or upon arrival in Somalia, the qualified Somali expatriate will receive a pre-service briefing including security advice and cultural background.